This video shows why Indians' Andrew Miller's slider is unhittable

Arthur Weinstein

This video shows why Indians' Andrew Miller's slider is unhittable image

Andrew Miller had some nasty sliders Friday night against the Blue Jays, striking out five of the six batters he faced in Cleveland's 2-0 win. And all five of those strikeouts looked almost identical. See for yourself:

How can the Indians reliever throw the same pitch again and again, in almost the same location, and make talented hitters look so feeble? Oh, and they know Miller is going to throw the slider, too, as he did on about 60 percent of his pitches this year.

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The answer might be in the spin rate. Statcast shows Miller's slider hitting more than 2,700 rpm in ALCS Game 1, versus his season average of 2,591 rpm. It might not sound like much of a difference — but several Blue Jays might beg to differ.

"He's tough, man," Indians catcher Roberto Perez said after the game, via MLB.com. "When he throws that slider, especially when he's throwing 97 [mph with his fastball], it's tough. He's got a funky delivery, too, so it makes it tough on hitters."

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Miller finished the season 123 strikeouts in 74 1/3 innings between the Yankees and Indians. His 0.686 WHIP is scary, and he typically joins Aroldis Chapman, Zach Britton, Kenley Jansen and Wade Davis in leading discussions of the best reliever in baseball.

The 6-7 left-hander has one pitch that separates him from even that powerful field, though. The Blue Jays had better figure it out quickly.

Arthur Weinstein